Haleigh Rojas
Staff Writer
The College’s BOLD Women’s Leadership Network is one program among many others in schools throughout New York State and nationwide that are being targeted with a wave of federal civil complaints alleging violations of Title IX, the federal law that prevents discrimination in education on the basis of sex, and Title VI, which prevents discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
The complaints have been filed to the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) in recent years by a small number of men who claim that schools are violating Titles IX and VI by offering programs exclusively for women or persons of color. The OCR has generally sided with the complainants in cases, and some schools have either stopped long-running programs or been forced to change their parameters to meet the federal anti-discriminatory laws.
Critics of the federal complaints say that the programs being targeted have generally been focused on assisting previously underserved groups who have not had the same opportunities enjoyed by white men.
According to the OCR website, the complaint against Saint Rose was filed on Jan. 15, 2021 under the discrimination category of “Title IX – Single Sex Campus Programs.” The Women’s Leadership Institute and the BOLD Women’s Leadership Network could both be considered within that category, although the complaint does not specify which program specifically.
The Women’s Leadership Institute had a soft launch in 2019 and started offering more programs in 2020, while the Saint Rose BOLD Women’s Leadership Network was founded in 2018 through a grant of $1 million from the Pussycat Foundation. It is one of several such programs at six universities in the Northeast and Middle Atlantic.
BOLD offers a range of opportunities for women or those who identify as women, such as the BOLD Scholars program.
Yolanda Caldwell, director of the Saint Rose BOLD Women’s Leadership Network, was contacted about the implications of the civil complaint to BOLD on campus, but did not respond to multiple requests for an interview.
Glenjanae Robertson, a participant in the BOLD Women’s Leadership Network for two years, spoke about the opportunities that BOLD has provided her to enhance her personal and professional growth. She expressed her motivation to join the program. “It gave me the opportunity to grow as a woman both in leadership and in general. I needed something to push me in the right direction.”
Robertson shared her response to the criticism the program is facing, highlighting that men already have similar opportunities available to them. “We live in a world and attend a school where men have the opportunity to receive scholarships that do the same exact thing,” she said. “The only difference is that BOLD is specifically for women. Men deserve their own programs too, but the world currently operates in a way where men often receive leadership opportunities first.”
Denise Edwards, another participant who has attended the BOLD women’s program for two years, emphasized the need to focus on women’s empowerment in areas where they are historically underrepresented. “Most things are built and geared towards men, and the focus is not always on making women the best they can be in terms of education, research, or professional fields,” she said. “BOLD is positioned to change that. It provides a select group of women with the chance to excel, learn from successful women, and overcome barriers,” she said.
Robertson draws attention to the importance of creating scholarships and opportunities specifically for women. She recognized the progress made in valuing women’s contributions but emphasized the need for balance. “In the world we live in, women are now more valued in the workplace and in life. However, we should never prioritize women over men.”
Reflecting on her personal experience, Robertson shared the positive impact of the BOLD Women’s Scholarship on her education and personal growth. “With BOLD, you earn or create this sisterhood, you get this new family, these new women in your life to lean on it’s really helpful to have those women in my life because they have helped me so much these last couple of years. Education-wise, there’s just so many connections throughout BOLD because BOLD is mainly run by Yolanda Caldwell. She is always going to teach us and provide us with opportunities and it can also be the same opportunities that the school provides,” she said.
Edwards, a returning student, expressed her gratitude for the BOLD program. “BOLD allowed me to be at a private school and not have to worry about the cost of private school. It allowed me to participate in professional development opportunities that I wouldn’t have access to otherwise. I am a returning student at this time. I’m 34 years old and I have been in the working field since I was 18 years old, and I worked so hard to get to where I was before I left the workforce to come back to school,” she said.
Robertson mentioned that she personally hasn’t encountered any negative comments from her peers or other fellow students. However, she emphasized the importance of being part of the program to truly understand its benefits. “If someone were to approach me with negative feedback about the BOLD Scholarship I would just tell them that everything they think is wrong because you have to be in the program to really understand how it works,” she said.
However, she acknowledged that some individuals may feel excluded and clarified that the school provides scholarships for various programs, including those not associated with athletics or BOLD. “I know that some people think that it’s unfair to men that they don’t have a scholarship like the BOLD program. First of all the school gives out scholarships even if you are not an athlete even if you are not a part of the BOLD Women’s program. The school is very helpful financial aid wise, I feel like I have never really faced negative feedback about it,” she said.
Robertson strongly believes that initiatives like the BOLD Women’s Scholarship contribute to fostering gender equality and empowering women in society. “I feel like we always know that the gap with men and women in the workplace will always be there, there’s really nothing we can do about it, that’s just how society works. However with me being in this program, I am more confident that while this gap is still existing and you know we are still trying to reach gender. I am more confident in myself that I have the power to do the same thing that a man can do,” she said.
Robertson shares that as she continues her college career she hopes to continue to maintain the connections and relationships she has built through the BOLD program. She also expresses her desire for the program to continue to grow and provide more resources, in hopes that the program will gain more participants.
Robertson also values the networks and connections she has been able to establish and hopes to continue benefiting from them in the coming years. “I’m hoping that I can still reach out to Yolanda years after I have graduated. I’m hoping that the program will grow, because I just don’t think ten [members] is enough…I feel like I definitely hope to still have more resources from them and still keep the relationship I have built and all the networks and all the connections I have created in the past two years,” she said.
Edwards shared her motivation to join the BOLD Women’s Leadership program, explaining that she was initially drawn to the program’s description, but soon discovered that it exceeded her expectations in terms of its impact and value. “When I was transferring to Saint Rose before I had become an officially accepted student here, I saw they had something for the BOLD Scholars. I feel like the description didn’t really paint the picture for how big and how wonderful the program really is,” she said.
Edwards reflected on her experience and the immense satisfaction and gratitude for what she has gained while being a part of the BOLD program, saying, “I have already gained more than I have already hoped for. So if you had to ask me if I am satisfied, Yes absolutely…I’ve gained friendships that will become life long, I’ve gained support, I’ve gained mentorship, I’ve gained the opportunity to be able to come here without having to worry about tuition. I’ve gained the opportunity to sharpen my skills and to learn and be able to give back.”
Edwards shared her own personal success story. “First of all I would be able to be here if it wasn’t for BOLD, so I am extremely grateful for that, but outside of that the relationships I have built since I have been here because the opportunities that BOLD has afforded me…I am going to be going into a clinical psychology program, I’m sure I will get accepted, but that’s a possibility again because of BOLD,” she said. She emphasizes that without the support of BOLD, she would not have made it into the program or have the opportunity to pursue a chance to be in clinical psychology.
While maintaining the program’s focus on supporting women, Edwards suggests that it should not be solely about gender. “I don’t want to make it about gender, because it’s bigger than that. I think that the issue is that everybody feels like everything should be for them and it’s unfair. There are some things that should be exclusive to who they are for…if you are leaving people out with malicious intentions that’s one thing but, if your focus is to strengthen a group of people who have been disenfranchised or who have been left behind or who have been forgotten about, that is completely different,” she said. Edwards believes that certain opportunities should be exclusive to specific groups in order to address historical disparities. She emphasizes that it is essential to respect and preserve opportunities that aim to uplift marginalized groups.
Edwards concluded by stating, “There are a million scholarships and a million organizations that are focused on boys and men and that’s okay. And I would never say you know what, I don’t think it’s fair that you get this and I don’t get this when I already have an opportunity that is afforded to me. Because what is meant for you is for you.” She emphasizes that fairness does not mean everyone has to receive the same opportunities but rather ensure that historically marginalized groups receive the support they need to overcome disadvantages. The BOLD Women’s Program strongly supports its mission and believes it contributes to fostering gender equality and empowering women. Members have personally experienced the program’s positive impact on their education, personal growth, and professional development.
While addressing concerns about inclusivity, they emphasize the importance of supporting marginalized groups and recognize the need for specific initiatives to address historical disparities.
